Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 15th November 2022

Our annual community retreat began yesterday and lasts until Friday, so this week the messages will be short. Today we read the Gospel passage, found in Luke (Lk 19: 1-10), that recounts the meeting of Jesus with Zacchaeus. It’s the delightful story of a leading tax collector, short in stature, who ended up being more generous than anyone one else and all because he found acceptance from Jesus, who invited himself to stay at his home. We meet with one form of generosity, acceptance and forgiveness, being returned with another, lavish giving, especially to the poor. It’s a story that invites us to think twice before judging others, for until we give people a chance, we can’t really discover what’s in them and how good they really are. After all, we were all created in the image and likeness of God.

 

​Here is the passage: Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody, I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’